


Leaving

by tigereyes45



Category: Klaus (2019)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Rewrite, Happy Ending, M/M, Sort Of, the tag is for the ending, this is an ending rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:06:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21515002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigereyes45/pseuds/tigereyes45
Summary: Instead of Klaus walking off on his own, Jesper was there to see it. He wasn't about to passively let his best friend disappear, but what could he do anyways.
Relationships: Jesper Johanssen/Klaus
Comments: 19
Kudos: 232





	Leaving

**Author's Note:**

> This was a drabble I wrote this morning on Tumblr after watching the movie. I was upset that at the ending Jesper wasn't there with Klaus and was seemingly just a little late. So here is a rewrite.

It wasn’t uncommon for Jesper to visit. Yes, he wasn’t up at Klaus’ cabin as often as he used to be, but he still made every once in a while. The crisp, fresh snow clings to his boots. Only a few birds coo despite it being the early morning hours perfect for their songs. Winter was truly in full motion. As was the nagging feeling in his chest.

The wind pushes at his back. With every step, it grows more persistent. Until its gusts felt like a pair of hands trying to carry him the rest of the way up. Jesper clings to his hat. If it blew away now he may never find it again!

As he finally reaches the cabin the wind starts to let up. The hollowing gusts turn into quiet, brief whimpers. They were like guiding hands insisting that he heads for the old stump. Sure enough, he was there. Leaning back with his trusty ax resting against the stump. It was a sight he had seen a hundred times. Klaus became a toymaker again, but he never really stopped being a woodsman. For every toy made, there was at least one more birdhouse to go along with it.

This was all normal, so why did his chest ache?

As Klaus leans forward again a light dust of snow is picked up. It dances around the stump in a way that Jesper had never seen before. It wasn’t natural, the way the flakes were carried in the breeze. Klaus smiles at them as if this wasn’t the first show they had put on for him.

The ache in his chest evolves into panic. He wasn’t sure why, but Jesper didn’t have a good feeling about this at all. Before a coherent thought could even form he was running down the hill towards Klaus. Running as fast as he could as Klaus begins to follow the snowy breeze. The further he walks the slower Jesper felt. Where was he going? Was he heading towards the top?

“Klaus!”

He’s screaming now. Screaming his friend’s name as loud as he can. So loud even the forest itself returned his call, quieter then it had been, but it caught Klaus’ attention. Hand outstretched Jesper pushes his body to sprint. To sprint so fast Klaus wouldn’t be able to get even one more step in.

As he turns around Jesper knows. With a heavy hand and a desperate heart he knows. As soon as that smile greets him it is completely clear what’s going to happen next. It doesn’t reach his eyes but it had a tight hold over his heart. Hand still out a rock or root trips him. He isn’t quite sure which it is that sends him rolling through the snow. With a start, he pushes his head back up. Furiously shaking all the snow off of his face, Jesper calls out again.

“Klaus!”

“I’m here Jesper,” comes an answer that was far too close. Before his eyes could really blink the melting snow out, Jesper is being lifted. When Klaus hugs him it feels like it’s a silent goodbye. Burying his head into his chest, Jesper digs his fingers in. He digs them so deep into Klaus’ shirt that surely the man couldn’t go. It couldn’t be his time yet. No one was ready for him to go. _**He**_ wasn’t ready for him to go.

When he’s made to stand on his own feet again, Jesper grabs for Klaus. His fingers search madly as he finally manages to wipe his eyes clear with his sleeve. As he looks again nothing is there. No one is there. He was gone, and now, now Jesper was alone in the first place where they had a real conversation. Where he had come to accept this island as his home.

Pain embraces him in a way the cold never had.

Klaus. Kind, sweet, selfless Klaus was gone. He wishes he could have told him. That he had ever told him how much he loved him, but now it was all too late.

Jesper doesn’t leave the workshop for a few days after that. He had resigned himself to never leaving it again. To living a life like Klaus had with memories and grief as his company. He had made a good start at it too. How to eat and keep warm were the first things he figured out. He knew the cleanest way to get water from snow as well. If there wasn’t a constant aching pain in his body he might’ve even said it was all great. But the pain was there. It was always there.

Then one night just like all the others the workshop lit itself up. Jesper was sitting on the floor against a bookshelf when it started. He was so engrossed in the words left behind that he didn’t realize the decorations were hanging themselves up. Or that a plate of cookies and two glasses of milk were now by the fireplace. He didn’t even care to take notice that he was no longer alone.

Not until a hand carefully pulls the book away. Annoyance flairs up as Jesper bites down on his cheek. Whoever it was bothering him would get an earful as soon as he was standing. Only to see that the one interrupting him during his grieving was the one person he wanted to see most.

“Kalus?”

Jesper was up and leaping into Klaus’ arms before the man could even attempt to stop him. As he ties his hands around his neck Jesper realizes that Klaus was wearing the old red outfit Margu’s people had made him. His beard felt longer against his chest as well. As he leans back in Klaus’ arms he realizes there were a few new sparks of light in those amazing eyes he had missed. With all that was happening Jesper probably could have convinced himself that they were stars plucked straight from the sky if he had tried too.

“I’m sorry Jesper.”

The postman ignores the apology. Instead, he chooses to bury his face back into the bigger man’s chest.

“At least you made it back for Christmas.”


End file.
